Electric switch.



w. H. RlPLEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. is.

1,299,617, I Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

2 SHEETS SHEET I.

W. H. RIPLEY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. 7 APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1917.

1,299,617, Patented Apr. 8,1919

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' INVENTOR I a/m'mw df BY fin/ m ATTORNEY WILLIAM H. RIPLEY, 0F ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'TO THE PROMETHEU -ELEGTRIC COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

Application filed April 9, 1917. Serial No. 160,829.

To all whom itmaz concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM H. RIPLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing atthe city of Orange, Essex county, in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates. to improvements in electric switches, and more particularly to switches of the type inwhich arcing of the current is prevented upon the opening of the switch by a sudden, quick movement of one of the contacts of the switch relatively .to

the other thereof.

One of the features vof the invention is to provide a switch of this character which will be positive in its operation.

Another feature is to provide a switchwhich is not liable to get-out of order.

Another feature is to provide a switch which is comparatively simple in c0nstruc' tion and inexpensive to-manufacture.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment ofthe aforesaid ohiects and ends mvinvention consists in the novel details of construction, and in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the switch. and in w ich the switch is shown inits open position,

Figure 1 is a front view of a sterilizer having the improved switch aflixed thereto;

Fig. 2 isa plan view of the switch;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

a Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantiallv on the line H: of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the'line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a view showing the switch parts in separated relation.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing 10 represents an electrically heated sterilizer of any suitable tyne having secured to one of its walls the improved switch 11 which forms the subject matter of the invention, and which is adapted to open automatically hen the liquid within the sterilizer has evaporated, in order to prevent the appa' ratus becoming overheated or burned out. While, for purposes of illustration, the switch 11 is shown in connection with a sterilizer, it is, of course, to be understood that it may be employed in connection with any other type of electrical apparatus re quiring in its operation the use of a switch of this character.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, 12 indicates a .frame provided with a face plate 13, preferably formed of insulating material and supporting two pairs of spaced cont acts 14:, 14, the free ends 15 of which extend through the face plate 13. One of the contacts of each pair is connected to one of the terminals of the electric heater of the sterilizer and the other contact is connected to one of the terminals of a suitable source of electric current.

Rotatably supported by the frame 12 is a shaft 16 having an arm 17 secured to one end thereof by means of which the shaft may be rotated. Rotation of the shaft 16in one direction is automatically effected by means of a spring 18 coiled about the shaft.

to control the flow of current from the source of electric energy to the heater. Secured to one end of the yoke 23 is a member 25 provided with projections 26 and 27 and with an intermediate projection 28. Then the switch is in its open or inoperative position the proiection 26 of the member 25 en gages a stop 29 secured to the frame 12.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft 16 and positioned alongside of the member 25 is an elongated cam 30 having cam surfaces 31 and 32 adapted to be en aged by the free end of a spring 33 secured to the frame 12. The cam surfaces 31, 32 meet and form a point at one end of the cam 30, and at its other end the cam is provided with oppositely disposed, laterally-extending lugs 34, 35. When the switch is in its open position the lug. 35 of the cam 30 is in engagement with the projection 27 of the memberv 25, and the spring 33 is in engagement with the camsurface 31'.

Secured to the shaft 16 is a cam actuating member 36 provided with two ar1ns.37 and 38 one or the other of which is adapted to engage the lug 3 1 of thecam 30 when the shaft 16 is rotated, depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft. The 1116111- ber 36, which is in engagement with the cam 30, together-with;- the collar 39.-secured totheshaft 16 and engaging the yoke 23 prevent longitudinal movement of: the yoke 23 andth'e cam 30relatively to the shaft 16. A spring 410. engaging the yoke. 23 at one end thereof holds the same against: rotary movement during. the rotation of. the shaft 16 until the yoke is positively rotated by means of the cam- 30', as hereinafter described.

The operation of the switch. is as fol lows :7

- When the switch is open the parts will occupythe positionsshown in the drawings. In order to close the switch the arm. 17 is moved tov cause. the shaft. 16 to rotate in a clQQkwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, and ina, counterclockwise. direction, as seen in Fig. 5. Referring to Fig. .5, as. the: shaft 16 rotates the arm. 37. of the cam actuating member-36 will come into engagement with the lug- 34 of'the cam 30 whereupon fur.- ther rotationof the shaft 16=.will cause the cam 30 to rotate in unison therewith. the. cam 30,rotates the free end of the spring ,3..will. be depressed and placed under. in-

creased tension by the sliding. engagement of the cam face 31 therewith until the' pointed end of thecam comes intoengage: mentwith the spring 33 at which instant the longitudinal axis of the cam 30 is perpendicular to. the faceof the spring. As the cam 30 continues to rotate the pointedend thereof will move out of engagement with the spring 33 and assoon as the longitudinal ax sof the cam passes beyond-its perpendicular positionwith respect to the face of the spring 33 the latter is free to spring back to its normal position. As the spring returns tov normal position itwill, by its c oaction with the cam face 32, cause a quick rQ'fiiLtion of the cam 30 about; the shaft 16 until thecam face 32 engages the free end of the, spring 33 throughout substantially the entire. length. thereof-whereup n ta ion Qf he 2141130 ill he arre tsd- .12; thi quic m at f th am h lug 35 thereof, which. will have come into engagement with the projection-28 outliemember 25,.will, cause a quick rotation about the shaft 16. of the member 25 and therefore of the yoke 23 secured thereto and carrylng the contacts. 24, whereby the con-- the spring 33.,until; thelug: 35-woffthegcam engages the projection. 2'2? of; the-memhen25 secured to the. yoke23. Atsubstantially the sametime-ihat. the 1 1% 35.engagesthe.,prov

jection- 27, the. longitu nalvaxisof the cam 30 will pass: beyond its; perpendicular, position with respectmto. the fa e of the spr ing 33. as a result of whichv the. spring. will. re turn its o ma P t Qn, an during-the return .I I1,QYSQ1nent. of th hrine; a..,q1 ck--r.otary movement of the am. 3.0.andyo 15e23 relatively to the. shaft 16 willtakeplace, in

a. mannersimilar. to. that. above described with respect to the closing. of, theswitcli, i

By reason of the: quick, rotary movementpf y k 2.3 the onh ts "Qar ed thereby will be moved quickly out: ofengagement .withthe free ends 15 ofithepaii s fcontacts 14, 14 thereb callSihg arqui ck-loreak of the current and insuring that wno arcing will 7 occur between ,th.e coaeting. contacts as the switch is. opened.

L In usein connection with, a sterilizer,. as

.l n for P lBOSQ 0f lustra n-mil e- 5, he switeh s c q edhv manua y-1 r i ins the i-r1111? whishii held n ts ra se 1205i: tio by ea of suitab usible member 41 supported upon the sterilizer. Should the liquid within the sterilizer completely evaporate the temperature will rise and cause the membe $1 infuse, h r by Pe Knitting th sp ng l elnt teetheshaf to open theswitch in the manner above,described. Y

Having thus described my said invention what I claim and .desire tosecure by Letters Patent is z.

1. An electric switch comprising a frame, contacts supported thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a contact. rotatably supported upon, said shaft, and means can ried by said, shaft to move said contactinto and out of engagement withsaid contacts when saidshaftis rotated, said means -eom prising a member rotatablenwith respect to said shaft andgtosaid contact, substantially as spec fi 2. An electric switch comprising a frame, contacts. supported thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted. on said frame, a, contact rotatably supported upon said shaft, an actuatingmember rotatably mounted upon 2.349. .23 w l hequ k ir and. r bly m ved a d shaf anifrssto wer h respe t to said contact, means operatively connected to said contact and adapted to be engaged by said actuating member to move said contact into and out of engagement with said contacts, and means to actuate said actuating member, substantially as specified.

3. An electric switch comprising a frame, contacts supported thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a contact rotatably supported upon said shaft, an actuating member movably mounted upon said shaft and free to move with respect to said contact, means carried by said shaft to move said actuating member for a portion of its movement as said shaft is rotated, and means to move said actuating member for the remainder of its movement independently of said shaft, said actuating member serving to move said contact into and out of engagement with said contacts during its movement independent of said shaft, substantially as specified.

4. An electric switch comprising a frame, contacts supported thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a contact rotatably supported upon said shaft, an actuating member movably mounted upon said shaft and free to move with respect to said contact, means carried by said shaft to move said actuating member for a portion of its movement as said shaft is rotated, means to move said actuating member for the remainder of its movement independently of said shaft, and means operatively connected to said contact and adapted to be engaged by said actuating member during its movement independent of said shaft to move said contact into and out of engagement with said contacts, substantially as specified.

'5. An electric switch comprising a frame, contacts supported thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a contact rotatably supported upon said shaft, an actuating member rotatably mounted upon said shaft and free to rotate with respect to said contact, means carried by said shaft to rotate said actuating member for a portion of its movement as said shaft is rotated, means to rotate said actuating member for the remainder of its movement independently of said shaft, and means operatively Copies of this patent may be, obtained for connected to said contact and adapted to be engaged by said actuating member during its-movementindependent of said shaftto move said contact into and out of engagement with said contacts, substantially as specified.

6. An electric switch comprising a frame,

contacts supported thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a support rotatably mounted on said shaft and carrying a contact, a member carried by said support and, provided with projections, a member rotatably mounted upon said shaft and having a lug adapted to engage either one of said. projections, means secured to said shaft to rotate said rotatable member to cause said lug to engage either one of said projections, and means effective after said lug has engaged either one of said pr0 jections to rotate said rotatable member about said shaft whereby said support will be rotated about said shaft to move said contact into or out of engagement with said contacts, substantially as specified.

7 An electric switch comprising a frame, contacts supported thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, a support rotatably mounted on said shaft and carrying a contact, a member secured to said support and provided with projections, a cam rotatably mounted on said shaft and provided with a lug adapted to engage either one of said projections, said cam having two cam faces, means secured to said shaft to r0- tate said cam to cause said lug to engage either one of said projections, and a spring co-acting with either one of said cam faces after said lug has engaged either one of said projections to rotate said cam about said shaft, whereby said support will be rotated to move said contact into or out of engagement with said contacts, substantially as specified- Signed at the city of New York. in the county and State of New York, this 5th day of April, one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

WILLIAM H. RIPLEY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. Jonas, JOSEPH G. QUINN, Jr. 

